10 years later the war is over. In early November the major farm activity is winding down and there is time to relax a bit. Abby is all grown up. Madison, Colleen and Abby all have children and the farm is prosperous once again. Uncle Preston has found new meaning in life. But sometimes a girl needs something only another girl can give. Yet new things that are learned can be taken home. If a woman is happy, her man is happy too.
Note: All locations are fictitious.
*****
Colleen sat in the kitchen with Madison, listening to the rain from the sudden thunderstorm drum on the roof and beat against the windows. The house shook with the rumbles of thunder. She reached for Madison's hand.
"It's been a while since we've been together alone like this."
"It's sure been busy with the kids and all. It was a great idea for Uncle Preston to take all the kids AND our husbands up to Adventure Land for the weekend. I know they're all having a blast." Madison laughed. "And it gives the guys a chance to see what it's like to keep up with the kids all day."
"I guess my pa is the only male left on the farm at the moment. Now that he's not responsible for keeping everything going all by himself I think he's spending more time with ma. She sure seems happy. When he's not drunk he can be downright affectionate."
Madison stroked Colleen's long red hair. "Speaking of affectionate..."
Over the wind and rain they heard the splashing of hoofs outside followed by sharp knocking on the door. Madison opened to door to a shivering bedraggled Abby.
"What the...Get on in here, girl. Colleen will put Thunder in the barn."
A sopping Abbey came in and stood amid a growing puddle at her feet. Colleen pulled on a slicker and boots and went out to lead the horse to shelter.
"I went out for a ride and the storm came up so suddenly. I was way over on the other side of the farm and it started to hail so I didn't want to risk sheltering under the trees. Your place was the closest so I took a chance you were home or would have just taken shelter in the barn until the storm passed. At least there's no hail over here."
"You get out of those wet clothes and come with me. You need a hot bath."
Abby left a sopping pile of clothing on the kitchen floor. Madison ran hot water into the tub for a shivering Abby, who gratefully sank down into the warmth.
Back in the kitchen Madison found Colleen wringing out Abby's clothes in the sink and spreading them out to dry, draping them over kitchen chairs in front of the stove. Madison threw some more wood in the stove to heat the room a bit more, and put a kettle of water on the new cooking stove.
The two paused to embrace and kiss, a lingering kiss, and gently stroked each other's breast. Wrapped up in each other all sense of time was lost.
"What's going on?"
They both turned to find barefoot Abby standing in the kitchen door, wrapped in a towel. Madison blushed but Colleen, as always, was matter of fact.
"We were sharing a moment."
"But...you were kissing and you're both married. You have kids."
Madison recovered just as the teakettle began to whistle. "Sit down, Abby. I'm fixing us all some hot tea and we can talk."
With their hands wrapped around hot cups they sat around the kitchen table.
"Abby, do you love your husband?"
"Dylan? Of course."
"Well, I love Jeffrey. And Colleen loves Jake. We both love our kids. But sometimes a girl needs something else."
Colleen added "Something our husbands can't give us. They satisfy us, but there are times when the touch of another girl is comforting. Guys have a way of loving that is wonderful, but they don't know how to touch us like a girl does. Only a girl can truly know the needs of another girl."
"I don't understand."
Madison scooted her chair closer to Abby. "Have you ever kissed a girl?"
"Of course."
"I don't mean, like your sister or your mother. I mean a real kiss."
"I...I don't think so. Maybe Darlene in third grade. But that was a dare."
"Kiss me, Abby. The world won't end, I promise. It's different from kissing Dylan."
Madison leaned toward Abby who tentatively leaned forward until their lips were almost touching. Madison whispered "Go ahead."
Abby brushed her lips against Madison's and, when Madison didn't draw away, initiated a real kiss. Madison reciprocated and stroked Abby's still wet hair.
When they broke the kiss Madison asked "What do you think?"
"Umm...it was different, just like you said."
"Does Dylan kiss like that?"
"Not exactly. I have to admit this was nice. It was soft. Warm."
Colleen drew her chair up to the other side of Abby. "What about touching? Have you ever touched another girl? Even been touched by another girl?"
Abby cocked her head and furrowed her brow. "Nnnnoooooo?"
"Ever touched yourself?"
It was Abby's turn to blush. "Well, yeah."
"How does that compare with how Dylan touches you? Is it the same?"
Another blush. "No, it's not the same. Of course it's not the same. He's a guy."
"Exactly. Dylan wants to please you, but he can't touch you the way you would like best. You know your own body better than your husband does. We know that's how it is with our husbands."
"Abby, you know Colleen. You know me. You know we're not...funny...but we discovered some time ago that there is something special about a girl relationship. It's something our husbands can't truly understand. Jeffrey knows about it and says he understands, but a man can't really understand, even if he wants to."
"You mean you two do this a lot?"